Anchor Retrieval Device

ABSTRACT

An anchor retrieval device for vessels comprising an anchor having a first point and a second point, a chain attached to a second point of the anchor, a rope having a first end associated with the first point of the anchor and a second end releasably associated to the chain and a flotation device associated with the rope.

This disclosure refers to an anchor retrieval device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A common problem in vessels of small and medium size is that, uponweighing the anchored anchor, sometimes it remains stranded or trappedby some underwater body or relief. In these cases, the arm or the palmof the anchor is frequently retained by some rope or chain or by somerock or irregularity present on the underwater bottom.

The chain joining the anchor to the vessel is attached to the anchor bythe free end of the shank. In this way, if the anchor is trapped and itis not possible to free it by pulling the chain, a known and efficientsolution consists of arranging an additional element, allowing theanchor to be pulled by applying force at a different point, preferablynear the throat of the anchor, at the opposite end.

A widely used solution consists of a device called a buoy rope. The buoyrope is a rope attached by its lower end to the throat of the anchor. Ifthe anchor is stranded and it is not possible to recover it by pullingthe chain, the buoy rope is pulled by applying the force on the throatof the anchor and thus releasing it.

A likely drawback of this type of device is that it is difficult to usebecause it is necessary to arrange the buoy rope at the same time as theanchor is lowered, trying that the chain and the buoy rope do not gettangled with one another. The manoeuvre of weighing the anchor isfurther complicated by the circumstance of having to simultaneouslyrecover the buoy rope.

With the aim of avoiding a situation where the buoy rope and the chainget tangled up, it is possible to use a buoy that is attached to the topend of the buoy rope, thus maintaining said buoy rope separate from thechain and allowing its retrieval when setting sail. Nevertheless, it canalso be complicated to use because it can be necessary to arrange and topick up the buoy rope independently from the chain. Furthermore, in thecase that other vessels are present near the anchoring zone, the riskexists that the buoy rope wraps itself around a propeller or thatanother similar problem arises.

Another known device, for example, the one described in U.S. Pat. No.6,009,826, comprises a chain that is directly attached to the throat ofthe anchor and that extends along the shank of the anchor. The chain isalso attached to the free end of the shank by means of a releasableengaging element that releases the chain when a force of specifictraction is applied thereto. In this manner, when the chain is pulled inthe direction of the shank, the engaging element keeps the chainattached to the anchor by the free end of the shank. On the other hand,if the anchor is snagged and immobilized and the chain is pulled inanother direction, the engaging element releases the chain, thuspermitting to pull the anchor from the throat, and changing the point ofapplication of the force and releasing the anchor.

This device appears to have the drawback of not being very reliable andcan turn out to be dangerous. It appears that if the anchor does notkeep aligned with the chain, which is probable if the direction of thewind changes from the moment in which the vessel anchored and,therefore, the vessel swings, it is possible that the engaging elementaccidentally releases the chain. This will cause the anchor remainattached to the chain only at its throat and without offering anyresistance to the dragging, so the vessel would no longer be anchoredand would come adrift.

Another type of known device, described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No.4,836,126 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,775, consists of the provision of asecondary rope that is attached to the zone of the throat of the anchorat one of its ends and associated to a mechanism at its other end. Themechanism is arranged between the chain and the free end of the shank ofthe anchor and it is activated using a releasing element. The releasingelement descends along the chain until it is coupled to said mechanism.When the releasing element couples to the mechanism, it activates saidmechanism. Upon being activated, the mechanism releases the chain fromthe free end of the shank of the anchor, so that it is possible to applythe force of traction from the vessel by means of the secondary rope,directly on the throat of the anchor.

This type of devices appears to have the drawback that the mechanism islarge and quite complex, further complicating the passage of the chainthrough the pulley of the vessel. Likewise, on many occasions it appearsthat it is not possible to provide a revolving mechanism between theanchor and the chain allowing the free rotation of the anchor withrespect to the chain. On the other hand, in the devices completelyreleasing the chain from the free end of the shank, the anchor remainssuspended only by its throat, complicating its retrieval and placementin the corresponding location in the vessel, especially if the weight ofthe anchor is considerable.

SUMMARY

The arrangements described herein overcome the drawbacks of the devicesknown in the art and provide a vessel's anchor retrieval devicecomprising a rope, which is associated at a first end to a first pointof the anchor and is releasably associated at a second end to a chainthat is attached to a second point of the anchor, characterized in thatit comprises rope flotation means under the water.

In an implementation, the rope remains arranged under the water in adifferent orientation to that of the chain, so that it is possible tohave access thereto in a simple way, avoiding the utilization of complexmechanisms.

According to an embodiment, the flotation means comprises at least onebuoy attached to the rope between its two ends.

Preferably, the anchor retrieval device comprises releasable attachingmeans of the second end of the chain rope.

Advantageously, in an implementation, the releasable attaching meanscomprises a first element that is connected to the second end of therope and is releasably attached to the chain, a second element moveablealong the chain, and coupling means that are arranged between the firstand the second elements.

Also advantageously, in an implementation, the first element comprises acable that is attached to the rope at one end and is releasably attachedto the chain at its other end, and the second element comprises atubular device that surrounds the chain and that moves along said chain,said tubular device being moved downwards by means of its own weight andbeing moved upwards by means of an auxiliary rope connected to saidtubular device and operated from the vessel.

According to an embodiment, the coupling means between the first and thesecond element comprises a cable stop and a housing for the tubulardevice in which the cable is introduced and in which said cable stop isretained.

Preferably, the housing comprises a recess in a wall of the tubulardevice with a lower opening through which the cable enters.

Advantageously, in an implementation, the housing comprises a space andlocking means permitting the entrance of the cable in said space andavoiding the exit of said cable from said space.

Also advantageously, in an implementation, when the cable is retained inthe housing of the tubular device, the tubular device can be movedupwards, pulling on said tubular device with the cable until said cableis separated from the chain.

Preferably, the tubular device comprises releasing means with respect tothe chain, said tubular device being able to be separated from the chainwhen the tubular device pulls on the cable.

Also preferably, the chain releasing means comprise a longitudinalgroove in one of the walls of the tubular device.

Advantageously, in an implementation, the tubular device comprises acylinder with its two ends slanted.

Also advantageously, in an implementation, the tubular device comprisesa lead weight at its lower part.

Thanks to these characteristics, the device permits a change to thepoint of application of the extraction force on the anchor by means of asimple mechanism which is easy to use.

According to an embodiment, the first point of the anchor is the zone ofthe throat of the anchor and the second point of the anchor is the zoneof the free end of the shank of the anchor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In order to facilitate the description of all the above previouslyexposed, some drawings are included in which, schematically and only byway of non restrictive example, a practical case of embodiment of thedevice according to the invention is represented, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view of an anchor snagged in a rock on the bottom of the seaand of part of the anchor retrieval device according to animplementation;

FIGS. 2 to 4 are side, front and rear views, respectively, of thetubular device of the anchor retrieval device according to animplementation; and

FIGS. 5 to 12 show the operation of the anchor retrieval deviceaccording to an implementation, at different steps.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIG. 1, an anchor 1 that is snagged in a relief of the bottom of thesea, is shown. The anchor 1 is connected at the free end 2 of its shankto a chain 3 that is connected by its top end to a vessel (not shown).In the situation described, the anchor 1 cannot be weighed by pullingthe chain 3 upwards, since the arm or the palm of the anchor 1 islocated under a projection on the bottom of the sea and it is notpossible to move the anchor 1 so that its arm can exit from the spacesituated under said projection.

In an implementation, an anchor retrieval device comprises a rope 4connected at one of its ends to the zone of the throat 5 of the anchorand connected at its other end to the chain 3, by means of a cable 6.Preferably, the connection point between the cable 6 and the chain 3will be situated at least at 20 cm from the free end 2 of the shank ofthe anchor 1.

In the present embodiment, the anchor retrieval device includes a buoy 7arranged between the two ends of said rope 4, that comprises a centralorifice through which the said rope 4 passes. The buoy 7 floats in thewater and pulls the rope 4 upwards, by keeping it in suspension.

The cable 6 is releasably attached to the chain 3, so that it can beseparated from the same when desired. As depicted and in an embodiment,the anchor retrieval device further comprises a tubular device 8 thatpermits to carry out the separation of the cable 6 from the chain 3.

As can be observed in FIGS. 2 to 4, the tubular device 8 may comprise acylindrical body 9, with its top and lower ends cut according torespective oblique plans with respect to the longitudinal axis of thecylinder 9 and parallel to one another. The cylindrical body 9 furthercomprises a recess 10 in its front wall, which is longitudinal with alower opening 10 a.

In an implementation, the tubular device 8 also comprises a piece 11attached to the frontal part of the cylindrical body 9, overlapping therecess 10. The piece 11 includes a hook defining an interior space 12and an elastically diverted catch 13 that permits said interior space 12to be closed. The interior space 12 is situated in correspondence withpart of the recess 10.

As can be observed in FIG. 4, the cylindrical body 9 includes in itsrear wall a longitudinal V-shaped groove 15, that is widened in its topand forms a separation line in its bottom. In resting state, the twosides of the groove 15 are kept joined at their lower part, being ableto be separated by means of the application of a cross force to saidgroove 15.

The tubular device 8 further comprises a lead weight 14 attached to therear lower part of the cylindrical body 9, that permits the tubulardevice 8 to always remain in vertical position upon being introduced inthe water.

The cylindrical body 9 will be preferably made in a sliding,sufficiently resistant and elastic material, such as PVC.

As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the tubular device 8 is designed to bearranged around the chain 3, so that it can be moved along the same. Thetubular device 8 is attached at its top end to an auxiliary rope 16 thatpermits to pull the same from the vessel. In this manner, the tubulardevice 8 will move downwards thanks to its weight and will be able to bemoved upwards by pulling the auxiliary rope 16.

As can be seen in FIG. 6, the cable 6 is connected to the chain 3 bymeans of a ring 17, which is attached to restrict longitudinal movementalong said chain 3, but with the capacity to turn with respect thereto.A sleeve 18 is attached to the ring 17 and is connected to a stop 19 atthe end of the cable 6. The sleeve 18 and the stop 19 of the cable 6 areconnected to one another so that, upon exercising a force of specifictraction on the cable 6, the connection yields and the sleeve 18 and thestop 19 of the cable 6 are separated. This connection can be of anyknown type, for example, a pressure coupling or a breakable element.

The operation of the anchor retrieval device as set forth is explainedin detail below.

When the anchor 1 is stranded and it is not possible to recover it bypulling the chain 3, as has been previously explained referring to thesituation shown in FIG. 1, the user that is in the vessel will place thetubular device 8 around the chain 3, by passing the chain 3 through thegroove 15. The tubular device 8 begins to descend along the chain 3 bymeans of its own weight, oriented substantially parallel to said chain3. In an embodiment, a lead weight 14 (or the like) may be included tocause descension. As has been previously described, the tubular device 8is attached at its top end to an auxiliary rope 16 that permits to movesaid tubular device 8 upwards when pulling the same from the vessel.

Therefore, the tubular device 8 descends and is guided by the chain 3until it approaches the position of the cable 6 (FIGS. 5 and 6). As canbe observed, due to the buoy 7, the cable 6 and the rope 4 are arrangedin a substantially cross direction with respect to the chain 3. In thismanner, when the tubular device 8 descends, the cable 6 is guidedbetween the edges of the slanted lower end of the cylindrical body 9,toward the opening 10 a of the recess 10. Due to the lead weight 14,that is situated in the wall opposed to the recess 10, and due to theedges of the inclined lower end of the cylindrical body 9, it ispossible to ensure that the tubular device 8 is suitably oriented tofacilitate the entrance of the cable 6 in the 15 opening 10 a.

When the cable 6 enters the recess 10 through the opening 10 a, thetubular device 8 continues descending until said cable 6 arrives at thetop end of said recess 10 (FIGS. 7 and 8). At this time, the user willperceive that the tubular device 8 stops descending, and will pull theauxiliary rope 16 upwards, so that the tubular device 8 will moveupwards.

By moving the tubular device 8 upwards, the cable 6 passes to theinterior of the space 12 of the piece 11, 25 passing through the safetycatch 13. The safety catch 13 is a device of the known type, whichelastically diverts, and that permits the cable 6 passing through ittoward the interior of the space 12 but does not permit that said cable6 can leave the same.

The user continues pulling the auxiliary rope 16 upwards, until thecable 6 arrives at the lower end of the space 12 of the piece 11, (FIGS.9 and 10).

The movement of the tubular device 8 upwards causes the cable 6, whichis retained in the interior of the space 12 (due to the stop 19) tobecome submitted to an ascending traction force. The ring 17 is attachedto the chain 3 without possibility of longitudinal movement with respectto said chain 3, so that the traction force on the cable 6 causes theseparation of the sleeve 18 and the stop 19 of the cable 6. When thesleeve 18 and the stop 19 of the cable 6 are separated, the cable 6 andthe rope 4 separate from the chain 3, so that, by pulling the auxiliaryrope 16, the force of traction applies directly on the rope 4, that atthe same time transmits said traction force to the zone of the throat 5of the anchor 1 to which it is connected. In that moment, the tubulardevice 8 also separates from the chain 3, through the groove 15, so thatthe auxiliary rope 16 and the rope 4 are dissociated from said chain 3(FIGS. 11 and 12).

In this manner, it is possible to pull the anchor 1 by applying thetraction force directly on the throat 5 of the anchor 1, thus permittingit to be released from the projection on the bottom of the sea.

After releasing the anchor 1, the user can pull the chain 3, carryingout, picking up and situating the anchor 1 in its location in the vesselin a conventional way, since only the ring 17 and the sleeve 18, whichhave a very reduced size and constitute no obstacle for the picking upoperation of said chain 3, are attached to the chain 3.

Preferably, the releasable connection between the cable 6 and the chain3 will be configured so that the separation of said elements can becarried out only by pulling the cable 6 through the auxiliary rope 16,as has been described previously. This generally avoids the involuntaryseparation of the cable 6 or the rope 4 from the chain 3 when the rope 4is submitted to an unexpected traction force. For example, if the anchor1 is buried in the sand and is moved while is buried, the rope 4 wouldbe able to remain submitted to a traction force caused by the sand thatsurrounds it that, if it has the sufficient intensity, would be able toseparate the cable 6 and the rope 4 from the chain 3.

As it has been appreciated, providing the rope 4 with flotation means inthe water (e.g., such as a buoy 7) permits the rope 4 to be situated ina cross orientation with respect to the chain 3. This arrangement of therope 4 with respect to the chain 3 yields access to the same in a muchmore efficient and an easy way as compared to instances in which therope 4 were aligned or arranged substantially parallel to said chain 3.In this way, it is possible to use a very simple mechanism to change thepoint of application of the force of extraction on the anchor 1.

The simplicity of the anchor retrieval device described hereinfacilitates the utilization and the storage of the same, thanks to itsreduced complexity and to its small size.

Likewise, the rope 4 and the buoy 7 (or any other suitable flotationelement) are arranged under the water and they take very little space,so that its utilization does not involve any inconvenience for thesailing of other vessels.

Furthermore, as opposed to the similar devices in the art, the anchorretrieval device described herein would permit one to arrange arevolving element between the chain 3 and the anchor 1 (not shown) sothat the anchor 1 freely rotates with respect to the chain 3, since therope can rotate jointly with the anchor 1 thanks to the revolving ring17.

On the other hand, although in the present disclosure utilizes the terms‘chain’ or ‘rope’, said terms should not be interpreted in a restrictiveway and it is possible to utilize different elements with equivalentfunctionality. For example, the chain 3 connecting the anchor 1 to thevessel could consist of a rope or a cord. In the same way, the ropes 4and 16 also could consist of other similar elements. For example, therope 4 could consist of a sufficiently flexible cable attached to thering 17 in the same way that the cable 6.

1-14. (canceled)
 15. An anchor retrieval device for vessels, the devicecomprising: an anchor having a first point and a second point; a chainattached to a second point of the anchor; a rope having a first endassociated with the first point of the anchor and a second endreleasably associated to the chain; and a flotation device associatedwith the rope.
 16. An anchor retrieval device as set forth in claim 1,wherein the floatation device comprises a buoy attached to the ropebetween the first end and the second end.
 17. An anchor retrieval deviceas set forth in claim 16, wherein the second end of the rope includes areleasable attaching device for releasably attaching the second end ofthe rope to the chain.
 18. An anchor retrieval device as set forth inclaim 15, wherein the second end of the rope includes a releasableattaching means for releasably attaching the second end of the rope tothe chain.
 19. An anchor retrieval device as set forth 18, wherein thereleasable attaching means comprises a first element that is attached tothe second end of the rope and is releasably attached to the chain, asecond element moveably relatable along the chain, and coupling meansbetween the first element and the second element.
 20. An anchorretrieval device as set forth in claim 19, wherein the first elementcomprises a cable having a first end attached to the rope and a secondend that is releasably attached to the chain, and wherein the secondelement comprises a tubular device that surrounds the chain and that ismovable along at least a portion of a length of said chain, the tubulardevice having a weight that urges it to move downward, the anchorretrieval device further comprising: an auxiliary rope attached to thetubular device to selectively urge the tubular device upward, whereinthe auxiliary rope extends to the vessel in operation.
 21. An anchorretrieval device as set forth in claim 20, wherein the tubular devicedefines a housing, and wherein the coupling means comprises a cable stopretainable in the housing.
 22. An anchor retrieval device as set forthin claim 21, wherein the housing of the tubular device defines a recessin a wall of the tubular device that further defines a lower openingthrough which the cable is introduced therein.
 23. An anchor retrievaldevice as set forth in claim 22, wherein the housing defines a spacetherein and includes locking means for allowing an introduction of thecable in the space and prevents the cable from coming out of the space.24. An anchor retrieval device according to claim 21, wherein thetubular device is upwardly movable only when the cable is retained inthe housing of the tubular device, and wherein the cable is detachablyconnected to the chain and is detachable therefrom under a forceexhibited on the cable from the tubular device.
 25. An anchor retrievaldevice according to claim 24, wherein the tubular device is releasablycomprises releasing means with respect to the chain for detaching thethe tubular device from the chain when the tubular device pulls thecable.
 26. An anchor retrieval device according to claim 25, wherein thethe releasing means with respect to the chain comprises a longitudinalgroove defined in one of the walls of the tubular device.
 27. An anchorretrieval device according to claim 20, wherein the tubular devicecomprises a cylinder having a first end and a second end, and whereinthe first and second ends are slanted.
 28. An anchor retrieval deviceaccording to claim 26, wherein the tubular device comprises a cylinderhaving a first end and a second end, and wherein the first and secondends are slanted.
 29. An anchor retrieval device according to claim 20,wherein the tubular device comprises a lead weight at an end arrangedthereof that is closer to the anchor than the vessel as compares to anopposite end thereof.
 30. An anchor retrieval device according to claim15, wherein the anchor includes a crown zone and a shank free end zone,wherein the first point of the anchor is the crown zone and the secondpoint of the anchor is shank free end zone.